info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
**To reduce the pipeline cost and shorten the job duration, before a merge request is approved, the pipeline will run a minimal set of RSpec & Jest tests that are related to the merge request changes.**
To identify the minimal set of tests needed, we use the [`test_file_finder` gem](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/ci-cd/test_file_finder), with two strategies:
- dynamic mapping from test coverage tracing (generated via the [Crystalball gem](https://github.com/toptal/crystalball))
([see where it's used](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/47d507c93779675d73a05002e2ec9c3c467cd698/tooling/bin/find_tests#L15))
- static mapping maintained in the [`tests.yml` file](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/tests.yml) for special cases that cannot
be mapped via coverage tracing ([see where it's used](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/47d507c93779675d73a05002e2ec9c3c467cd698/tooling/bin/find_tests#L12))
The test mappings contain a map of each source files to a list of test files which is dependent of the source file.
In the `detect-tests` job, we use this mapping to identify the minimal tests needed for the current merge request.
#### Exceptional cases
In addition, there are a few circumstances where we would always run the full RSpec tests:
- when the `pipeline:run-all-rspec` label is set on the merge request
- when the merge request is created by an automation (e.g. Gitaly update or MR targeting a stable branch)
- when any CI config file is changed (i.e. `.gitlab-ci.yml` or `.gitlab/ci/**/*`)
### Jest minimal jobs
#### Determining related Jest test files in a merge request
To identify the minimal set of tests needed, we pass a list of all the changed files into `jest` using the [`--findRelatedTests`](https://jestjs.io/docs/cli#--findrelatedtests-spaceseparatedlistofsourcefiles) option.
In this mode, `jest` would resolve all the dependencies of related to the changed files, which include test files that have these files in the dependency chain.
#### Exceptional cases
In addition, there are a few circumstances where we would always run the full Jest tests:
- when the `pipeline:run-all-rspec` label is set on the merge request
- when the merge request is created by an automation (e.g. Gitaly update or MR targeting a stable branch)
- when any CI config file is changed (i.e. `.gitlab-ci.yml` or `.gitlab/ci/**/*`)
- when any frontend "core" file is changed (i.e. `package.json`, `yarn.lock`, `babel.config.js`, `jest.config.*.js`, `config/helpers/**/*.js`)
- when any vendored JavaScript file is changed (i.e. `vendor/assets/javascripts/**/*`)
- when any backend file is changed ([see the patterns list for details](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/3616946936c1adbd9e754c1bd06f86ba670796d8/.gitlab/ci/rules.gitlab-ci.yml#L205-216))
## Fail-fast job in merge request pipelines
To provide faster feedback when a merge request breaks existing tests, we are experimenting with a
fail-fast mechanism.
An `rspec fail-fast` job is added in parallel to all other `rspec` jobs in a merge
request pipeline. This job runs the tests that are directly related to the changes
in the merge request.
If any of these tests fail, the `rspec fail-fast` job fails, triggering a
`fail-pipeline-early` job to run. The `fail-pipeline-early` job:
- Cancels the currently running pipeline and all in-progress jobs.
- Sets pipeline to have status `failed`.
For example:
```mermaid
graph LR
subgraph "prepare stage";
A["detect-tests"]
end
subgraph "test stage";
B["jest"];
C["rspec migration"];
D["rspec unit"];
E["rspec integration"];
F["rspec system"];
G["rspec fail-fast"];
end
subgraph "post-test stage";
Z["fail-pipeline-early"];
end
A --"artifact: list of test files"--> G
G --"on failure"--> Z
```
The `rspec fail-fast` is a no-op if there are more than 10 test files related to the
merge request. This prevents `rspec fail-fast` duration from exceeding the average
`rspec` job duration and defeating its purpose.
This number can be overridden by setting a CI/CD variable named `RSPEC_FAIL_FAST_TEST_FILE_COUNT_THRESHOLD`.
## Test jobs
We have dedicated jobs for each [testing level](testing_guide/testing_levels.md) and each job runs depending on the
changes made in your merge request.
If you want to force all the RSpec jobs to run regardless of your changes, you can add the `pipeline:run-all-rspec` label to the merge request.
WARNING:
Forcing all jobs on docs only related MRs would not have the prerequisite jobs and would lead to errors
### Test suite parallelization
Our current RSpec tests parallelization setup is as follows:
1. The `retrieve-tests-metadata` job in the `prepare` stage ensures we have a
`knapsack/report-master.json` file:
- The `knapsack/report-master.json` file is fetched from the latest `main` pipeline which runs `update-tests-metadata`
(for now it's the 2-hourly scheduled master pipeline), if it's not here we initialize the file with `{}`.
1. Each `[rspec|rspec-ee] [unit|integration|system|geo] n m` job are run with
`knapsack rspec` and should have an evenly distributed share of tests:
- It works because the jobs have access to the `knapsack/report-master.json`
since the "artifacts from all previous stages are passed by default".
- if knapsack is doing its job, test files that are run should be listed under
`Report specs`, not under `Leftover specs`.
1. The `update-tests-metadata` job (which only runs on scheduled pipelines for
[the canonical project](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab) takes all the
`knapsack/rspec*_pg_*.json` files and merge them all together into a single
`knapsack/report-master.json` file that is saved as artifact.
After that, the next pipeline uses the up-to-date `knapsack/report-master.json` file.
### Monitoring
The GitLab test suite is [monitored](performance.md#rspec-profiling) for the `main` branch, and any branch
that includes `rspec-profile` in their name.
### Logging
- Rails logging to `log/test.log` is disabled by default in CI [for
performance reasons](https://jtway.co/speed-up-your-rails-test-suite-by-6-in-1-line-13fedb869ec4). To override this setting, provide the
`RAILS_ENABLE_TEST_LOG` environment variable.
## Review app jobs
Consult the [Review Apps](testing_guide/review_apps.md) dedicated page for more information.
## As-if-FOSS jobs
The `* as-if-foss` jobs run the GitLab test suite "as if FOSS", meaning as if the jobs would run in the context
of the `gitlab-org/gitlab-foss` project. These jobs are only created in the following cases:
- when the `pipeline:run-as-if-foss` label is set on the merge request
- when the merge request is created in the `gitlab-org/security/gitlab` project
- when any CI config file is changed (i.e. `.gitlab-ci.yml` or `.gitlab/ci/**/*`)
The `* as-if-foss` jobs are run in addition to the regular EE-context jobs. They have the `FOSS_ONLY='1'` variable
set and get the `ee/` folder removed before the tests start running.
The intent is to ensure that a change doesn't introduce a failure after the `gitlab-org/gitlab` project is synced to
the `gitlab-org/gitlab-foss` project.
## As-if-JH jobs
The `* as-if-jh` jobs run the GitLab test suite "as if JiHu", meaning as if the jobs would run in the context
of [the `gitlab-jh/gitlab` project](jh_features_review.md). These jobs are only created in the following cases:
- when the `pipeline:run-as-if-jh` label is set on the merge request
- when the `pipeline:run-all-rspec` label is set on the merge request
- when any code or backstage file is changed
- when any startup CSS file is changed
The `* as-if-jh` jobs are run in addition to the regular EE-context jobs. The `jh/` folder is added before the tests start running.
The intent is to ensure that a change doesn't introduce a failure after the `gitlab-org/gitlab` project is synced to
the `gitlab-jh/gitlab` project.
## PostgreSQL versions testing
Our test suite runs against PG12 as GitLab.com runs on PG12 and
[Omnibus defaults to PG12 for new installs and upgrades](../administration/package_information/postgresql_versions.md).
We do run our test suite against PG11 and PG13 on nightly scheduled pipelines.
We also run our test suite against PG11 upon specific database library changes in MRs and `main` pipelines (with the `rspec db-library-code pg11` job).
### Current versions testing
| Where? | PostgreSQL version |
| ------ | ------------------ |
| MRs | 12, 11 for DB library changes |
| `main` (non-scheduled pipelines) | 12, 11 for DB library changes |
| 2-hourly scheduled pipelines | 12, 11 for DB library changes |
| `nightly` scheduled pipelines | 12, 11, 13 |
### Long-term plan
We follow the [PostgreSQL versions shipped with Omnibus GitLab](../administration/package_information/postgresql_versions.md):
| `.default-retry` | Allows a job to [retry](../ci/yaml/index.md#retry) upon `unknown_failure`, `api_failure`, `runner_system_failure`, `job_execution_timeout`, or `stuck_or_timeout_failure`. |
| `.default-before_script` | Allows a job to use a default `before_script` definition suitable for Ruby/Rails tasks that may need a database running (for example, tests). |
| `.setup-test-env-cache` | Allows a job to use a default `cache` definition suitable for setting up test environment for subsequent Ruby/Rails tasks. |
| `.use-pg11` | Allows a job to run the `postgres` 11 and `redis` services (see [`.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml) for the specific versions of the services). |
| `.use-pg11-ee` | Same as `.use-pg11` but also use an `elasticsearch` service (see [`.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml) for the specific version of the service). |
| `.use-pg12` | Allows a job to use the `postgres` 12 and `redis` services (see [`.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml) for the specific versions of the services). |
| `.use-pg12-ee` | Same as `.use-pg12` but also use an `elasticsearch` service (see [`.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/global.gitlab-ci.yml) for the specific version of the service). |
| `if-not-canonical-namespace` | Matches if the project isn't in the canonical (`gitlab-org/`) or security (`gitlab-org/security`) namespace. | Use to create a job for forks (by using `when: on_success|manual`), or **not** create a job for forks (by using `when: never`). |
| `if-not-ee` | Matches if the project isn't EE (that is, project name isn't `gitlab` or `gitlab-ee`). | Use to create a job only in the FOSS project (by using `when: on_success|manual`), or **not** create a job if the project is EE (by using `when: never`). |
| `if-not-foss` | Matches if the project isn't FOSS (that is, project name isn't `gitlab-foss`, `gitlab-ce`, or `gitlabhq`). | Use to create a job only in the EE project (by using `when: on_success|manual`), or **not** create a job if the project is FOSS (by using `when: never`). |
| `if-default-refs` | Matches if the pipeline is for `master`, `main`, `/^[\d-]+-stable(-ee)?$/` (stable branches), `/^\d+-\d+-auto-deploy-\d+$/` (auto-deploy branches), `/^security\//` (security branches), merge requests, and tags. | Note that jobs aren't created for branches with this default configuration. |
| `if-master-refs` | Matches if the current branch is `master` or `main`. | |
| `if-master-push` | Matches if the current branch is `master` or `main` and pipeline source is `push`. | |
| `if-master-schedule-2-hourly` | Matches if the current branch is `master` or `main` and pipeline runs on a 2-hourly schedule. | |
| `if-master-schedule-nightly` | Matches if the current branch is `master` or `main` and pipeline runs on a nightly schedule. | |
| `if-dot-com-gitlab-org-merge-request` | Limits jobs creation to merge requests for the `gitlab-org` group on GitLab.com. | |
| `if-dot-com-gitlab-org-and-security-tag` | Limits job creation to tags for the `gitlab-org` and `gitlab-org/security` groups on GitLab.com. | |
| `if-dot-com-gitlab-org-and-security-merge-request` | Limit jobs creation to merge requests for the `gitlab-org` and `gitlab-org/security` groups on GitLab.com. | |
-`.assets-compile-cache` (the key includes `${NODE_ENV}` so it's actually two different caches).
1. These cache definitions are composed of [multiple atomic caches](../ci/caching/index.md#use-multiple-caches).
1. Only the following jobs, running in 2-hourly scheduled pipelines, are pushing (that is, updating) to the caches:
-`update-setup-test-env-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/rails.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/rails.gitlab-ci.yml).
-`update-gitaly-binaries-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/rails.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/rails.gitlab-ci.yml).
-`update-static-analysis-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/rails.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/rails.gitlab-ci.yml).
-`update-qa-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/qa.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/qa.gitlab-ci.yml).
-`update-assets-compile-production-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml).
-`update-assets-compile-test-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml).
-`update-yarn-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml).
-`update-storybook-yarn-cache`, defined in [`.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/frontend.gitlab-ci.yml).
1. These jobs can also be forced to run in merge requests with the `pipeline:update-cache` label (this can be useful to warm the caches in a MR that updates the cache keys).
### Artifacts strategy
We limit the artifacts that are saved and retrieved by jobs to the minimum in order to reduce the upload/download time and costs, as well as the artifacts storage.
### Pre-clone step
The `gitlab-org/gitlab` project on GitLab.com uses a [pre-clone step](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/39134)
to seed the project with a recent archive of the repository. This is done for
several reasons:
- It speeds up builds because a 800 MB download only takes seconds, as opposed to a full Git clone.
- It significantly reduces load on the file server, as smaller deltas mean less time spent in `git pack-objects`.
The pre-clone step works by using the `CI_PRE_CLONE_SCRIPT` variable
[defined by GitLab.com shared runners](../ci/runners/build_cloud/linux_build_cloud.md#pre-clone-script).
The `CI_PRE_CLONE_SCRIPT` is currently defined as a project CI/CD variable:
echo "Repository cache not available, cloning a new directory..."
exit
fi
rm -rf $CI_PROJECT_DIR
echo "Extracting tarball into $CI_PROJECT_DIR..."
mkdir -p $CI_PROJECT_DIR
cd $CI_PROJECT_DIR
tar xzf /tmp/gitlab.tar.gz
rm -f /tmp/gitlab.tar.gz
chmod a+w $CI_PROJECT_DIR
)
```
The first step of the script downloads `gitlab-master.tar.gz` from
Google Cloud Storage. There is a [GitLab CI job named `cache-repo`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/ci/cache-repo.gitlab-ci.yml#L5)
that is responsible for keeping that archive up-to-date. Every two hours
on a scheduled pipeline, it does the following:
1. Creates a fresh clone of the `gitlab-org/gitlab` repository on GitLab.com.
1. Saves the data as a `.tar.gz`.
1. Uploads it into the Google Cloud Storage bucket.
When a CI job runs with this configuration, the output looks something like this:
```shell
$ eval "$CI_PRE_CLONE_SCRIPT"
Downloading archived master...
Extracting tarball into /builds/group/project...
Fetching changes...
Reinitialized existing Git repository in /builds/group/project/.git/
```
Note that the `Reinitialized existing Git repository` message shows that
the pre-clone step worked. The runner runs `git init`, which
overwrites the Git configuration with the appropriate settings to fetch
from the GitLab repository.
`CI_REPO_CACHE_CREDENTIALS` contains the Google Cloud service account
JSON for uploading to the `gitlab-ci-git-repo-cache` bucket. (If you're a
